“I wish I could turn back time”: Henry Ruggs breaks silence 21 months into prison sentence

Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III made his first public appearance since beginning his prison sentence for the 2021 DUI crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog.

Ruggs was granted a special release from prison on Tuesday to speak at a Hope for Prisoners event in Las Vegas, a nonprofit aimed at helping incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society.While addressing the audience, Henry Ruggs directly apologized to Tintor’s family and reflected on the damage his actions caused."I wish I could turn back the hands of time," Ruggs said in a video published by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I would love for them to meet the real Henry Ruggs and not the one that was escaping from something."He explained that he was overwhelmed by the expectations that came with being a first-round draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Ruggs was selected twelfth overall by the Las Vegas Raiders that year.

Details of the fatal DUI crash that killed Tina Tintor and led to felony charges

On November 2, 2021, Henry Ruggs was driving his Chevrolet Corvette in Las Vegas at speeds that reached 156 miles per hour before slamming into the back of Tina Tintor’s Toyota RAV4.

The crash took place at around 3:40 a.m. and caused both vehicles to catch fire. Tintor and her dog, Max, died inside the burning SUV.According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Ruggs showed signs of intoxication at the scene. His blood alcohol content was recorded at 0.161, which is over twice the legal limit in the state of Nevada. Ruggs and his girlfriend, Rudy Washington, who was in the passenger seat, both survived the crash with non-life-threatening injuries.In May 2023, Henry Ruggs pleaded guilty to felony DUI resulting in death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He was sentenced in August to serve a prison term of three to ten years.

Henry Ruggs says his public image causes ongoing pain for Tina Tintor’s family

During the event, Henry Ruggs acknowledged the continued public attention surrounding the case and how that might affect Tina Tintor’s family."I sincerely apologize for not only being a part of that situation, but the fact my face is always in the news, it's always in the newspaper," Ruggs said. "So they have to constantly be reminded of the situation, be reminded of me. Those memories have to continue to rise because of all of the fame and the notoriety I have, which I never asked for. I never liked. I would just tell them that like I said I deeply apologize for being a part of that."

Former Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs discusses returning to the NFL

Henry Ruggs was asked whether he still hopes to return to professional football if given the opportunity."Yes, I would love to," Ruggs said. "I'm in this newfound spiritual space, and I’m confident in who I am and what I can do, so, when the time comes, I’m sure I’ll be ready."Former teammate Josh Jacobs, who played with Ruggs at both the University of Alabama and the Las Vegas Raiders, publicly supported him in a podcast appearance earlier this year. Jacobs said he had spoken with several NFL teams who showed interest in Henry Ruggs if he becomes eligible to return."When you get that chance, man, don’t look back," Jacobs said he told Ruggs.